Chapter 385: Swamp
Chapter 385: Swamp
Alice stared at the ground, nervously nudging the dirt with the tip of her shoe. She bit her lip, her eyes fixed on her feet.
"Can... can I come too? I’ll help."
"What kind of expression is that? You’re not accepting some kind of quest, are you?"
Phield broke into a cold sweat. Watching her twist back and forth in embarrassment left him completely bewildered. She looked like someone hiding a huge secret.
"I... I’m serious."
Alice hurriedly waved both hands.
After the battle of Wind Orchid City, the entire city had been swallowed by death.
She had believed everything in her life was over. Nightfall Domain had seemed like a place with no future whatsoever, so she had resigned herself to drifting through life without purpose.
Who could have imagined that in barely half a year, Nightfall Domain would develop at such astonishing speed?
It had even seized control of a fortress and was expanding rapidly in every direction. More and more Divine Chosen had gathered around Phield.
Anyone who wasn’t blind could immediately recognize the enormous potential of Nightfall Domain.
Alice thought to herself, If I keep wasting my days like this, I’ll probably become completely invisible.
"I want to help."
"Then let’s make the contract."
Phield gave her a thumbs-up.
"Another Divine Chosen joining us is always a good thing. Welcome aboard. I really like this part."
"N... no. Let’s leave that for later. You don’t really know me yet."
Alice shook her hands frantically.
In her eyes, forming the contract before accomplishing anything would only make her seem insignificant. It would be better to do something impressive first, earn everyone’s respect, and then establish the contract.
She’s really slow to warm up, Phield thought.
Still, she was incredibly open-minded, so taking things slowly wasn’t much of a problem.
"Fine. Since that’s what you want, get ready. We’re leaving immediately."
Phield then called over the two surviving scouts to gather more details.
"My lord, we were originally surveying mineral deposits. Mr. Yago discovered that these Holy Light ores had actually been washed downstream by the river."
"So we decided to follow the river upstream and continue investigating."
"But before we’d gone very far, a pack of Corrupted River Beavers attacked us from behind and chased us the entire way. Since the convoy was too large to retreat quickly, Miss Alexia ordered us to return and report."
"Understood."
Phield nodded.
"You two are coming with me. You’ll guide the way."
"Yes, my lord!"
The two soldiers answered loudly.
After learning the full situation, Phield marked the approximate location on his map.
Since manpower elsewhere was already stretched thin and Rosalia was still recovering, he took only the two soldiers, Ashina, Alice, and Firomina.
Although Firomina appeared to be only Tier One, her combat strength was astonishing, making her the perfect addition.
"Move out immediately. We’re reinforcing the survey team."
The Flooded Ruins lay close to the Salt Mine Outpost, northwest of Nightfall Domain near the border with Dawnfall Territory.
Long ago, two villages had stood along both sides of the river.
Because Dawnfall Territory occupied low-lying coastal land, seasonal flooding had occasionally submerged entire villages.
Following the unnamed river that flowed past Starnight City upstream, the group soon reached the outskirts of the Flooded Ruins.
The entire river had disappeared beneath the water.
In its place stretched a vast marsh with water reaching up to their knees.
A massive wooden dam cut straight across the flooded ruins.
Every step they took carried the uncertainty of landing on solid mud or plunging into a bottomless underwater channel.
"My lord, the survey team should have gone this way."
"Mm. The direction looks correct."
At last, living markers appeared on the minimap.
"I didn’t expect this."
Phield clicked his tongue.
"When we scouted this place before, it was already flooded. It’s still underwater now, and the flooding has actually become worse."
"It’s probably not because of the season."
Ashina pointed toward Dawnfall Territory in the distance.
"Look, the entire territory has practically turned into a giant swamp. When we explored here before, it definitely wasn’t this bad."
"Something feels wrong."
Dawnfall Territory was covered almost entirely by water.
Only a handful of floating islands remained visible, and not a single Corrupted Corpse could be seen.
Yet on the minimap, the entire territory was covered with red skull markers, even more than Nightfall Domain itself.
Ashina looked around cautiously.
"I smell an awful fishy odor. It smells like aquatic monsters."
"Let’s keep moving."
Phield sighed helplessly.
"We need to find the survey team as quickly as possible. Hopefully the losses aren’t too severe."
Owning both the minimap and several Divine Chosen had made him underestimate the Northern Frontier Province.
This place truly wasn’t fit for human habitation.
"Yes, my lord."
The group stepped into the flooded ruins, each footstep sending loud splashes across the water.
The dark gray water was mixed with revolting corrupted secretions, making every step disgusting.
The Drakewolf and the two soldiers led the way at the front.
From time to time, the beast slammed its massive paws into hidden obstacles and debris, smashing them apart.
Only Firomina received special treatment.
She rode comfortably on horseback while Phield led the horse by its reins.
"Do you think she’s pretending to be clueless?"
Alice couldn’t hide her jealousy.
"You’re a baron, yet you’re the one leading her horse. As someone with supernatural power, she should be protecting the people instead."
"Master... like."
Firomina narrowed her eyes and called out sweetly.
Joy filled her ethereal, goddess-like face.
"Alright, alright."
The tension in Phield’s expression eased as the gloom in his heart faded.
He smiled back at her affectionately before speaking in her defense.
"It can’t be helped. She only looks like an icy beauty. Mentally, she’s basically just a little girl."
"Huh?"
Ashina blinked in surprise.
"She learned another word? What else has she learned? They aren’t all embarrassing words, are they? My lord, you shouldn’t teach bad things to children."
Phield looked awkward.
"After she recovered her Moonlight form last time, she somehow learned one more word on her own. That’s the only new one."
Alice could only shake her head as she watched.
That wolf girl is far too innocent.
Those long white legs... that proud figure... and that face capable of toppling kingdoms... she’ll probably win Lord Phield’s favor before long.
Ashina really should be keeping a closer eye on her.
After less than fifteen minutes of walking, guided deliberately by Phield’s minimap, the group rapidly approached the survey team.
"My lord, look! Alexia’s team is over there!"
Thanks to her keen sense of smell, Ashina pinpointed their exact location.
The survey team’s wagons had been parked on a small island in the middle of the river.
Calling it an island was generous. It was simply a patch of ground that remained above the waterline, with a few stone houses still standing on it.
The Mist Dispelling Lamp illuminated the area, driving away the surrounding Gray Mist.
The survey soldiers had also received professional training.
They had arranged the wooden wagons into a circle, forming a makeshift fortress.
Obvious traces of battle surrounded the position.
Curiously, however, none of the soldiers were visible.
Perhaps they were resting inside the barricade.
"Strange."
Phield frowned.
"They were supposed to be surveying mineral deposits. How did they end up here instead? Everyone stay alert. It could be a trap."
Ashina nodded.
"My lord is right."
She looked toward the Drakewolf.
"Drakewolf, move ahead and scout the area."